Epson C88 Technical Brief

Brand: Epson

Model: C88

Category: Ink cartridges

Type: Technical Brief

Epson C88 is a versatile printer designed for everyday use, offering high-quality printing for documents, photos, and creative projects. With its DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, it delivers sharp text, vibrant colors, and durable, water-resistant prints.

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DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is currently featured in the Epson C88+ and C120 printers and the Epson CX4400/

CX7400/CX8400/CX9400Fax All-in-One printers. These products are designed for the consumer and SOHO (Small

Ofﬁce/Home Ofﬁce) customer who is looking for versatility, productivity, ease of use, image quality on plain and

photo paper, and durability on a variety of papers. The key advantages of this ink set are:

• Laser-sharp print quality for everyday text documents on plain papers and outstanding photo printing on

glossy papers—without the need, hassle, or expense of swapping ink cartridges

• Durable prints that are water, smudge, and fade-resistant

• Convenience and ﬂexibility

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Ideal for Printing Everyday Documents

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses an exclusive Microencapsulation

technology where each pigment particle is encased in a resin. A unique

polymer pulls the particles apart so they are suspended in the solution

and never coagulate. The ink base then helps the DURABrite Ultra

pigment particles penetrate into the paper.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers these everyday printing advantages:

1. Extra-sharp text and graphics on plain paper: Because

conventional dye-based ink acts much like a watercolor paint, its

molecules are absorbed into plain paper. The spreading of ink

into plain paper’s ﬁbers is referred to as feathering.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink pigment particles “rest” near

the surface of the paper and are not absorbed into the ﬁbers

like conventional dye inks. With the same size ink droplet,

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink produces a much smaller spot size

than dye-based ink, resulting in sharper output on plain paper.

Additionally, higher optical density produces darker blacks in

text and graphics.

2. Double-Sided prints without bleed-through: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses a special technology that

controls the penetration level of the ink and keeps the colorant near the surface. This produces double-sided

prints without bleed-through and also keeps plain papers from being over-saturated with ink.

3. Brighter colors: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses an innovative formulation of color inks, producing

brighter output on plain, matte, and glossy paper.

With DURABrite Ultra pigment ink,

customers can achieve outstanding

output on plain paper when printing

greeting cards, reports, labels, web

pages, resumes, menus, and more.

With added improvements for

printing on glossy papers, the

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is

ideal for customers who want one

printer to produce the highest quality

everyday documents on plain paper,

plus occasional photos.

With the same size ink droplet,

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has

a smaller spread into plain paper’s

ﬁbers than dye-based ink

Conventional Dye Ink Text

DURABrite Ultra Ink Text

Double-sided

prints without

bleed-through

Brighter colors on

plain paper

Extra-sharp text

Sharper graphics

DURABrite Ultra everyday printing advantages:

Epson DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink Technical Brief Page 2

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Durable Output

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers smudge-, fade-, and water-resistance on all supported papers, including

plain paper.

1. Smudge-Resistant Prints: Many

competitor’s dye-based inks are not

smudge-resistant immediately after

printing, and most prints need several

minutes of drying time before they can be

touched.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, like all

Epson inks, uses a quick drying formula.

Epson prints can be touched without fear

of causing smudges, right after printing

and beyond. Customers can handle prints

without fear of damaging them.

2. Fade-Resistant Prints: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has fade-

resistant properties that exceed those of photo lab prints and won’t

fade as quickly as many competitor’s prints—even on plain paper.

With DURABrite Ultra, cherished photos will last for generations.

In fact, DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has a fade resistance rating up

to 105 years as rated by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc, a leading

authority on print permanence*.

Lightfastness rating based on accelerated testing of prints on specialty media,

displayed indoors and under glass. Actual print stability will vary according to

image, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions.

Epson does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all

prints under glass or UV ﬁlter or lamination, or properly store them. For full details

on test reports, visit http://www.wilhelm-research.com.

3. Water-Resistant Prints: Conventional dye-based inks are molecules dissolved in water which are then

absorbed into plain paper. If the paper were to get wet, the dye molecules will again dissolve and move

from their original position, causing smearing. Pigment inks, such as the DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, are

comprised of pigment particles suspended in the ink, and once applied to paper, including plain paper, do

not dissolve if they get wet and do not smear.

The water-resistant properties of DURABrite Ultra pigment ink prevent accidental damage caused by

moisture and spills. Many competitive printers use a water-resistant pigment black, but dye-based color

inks. DURABrite Ultra pigment ink uses pigment-based black and color inks, and offers water-resistant

properties on all supported papers, including plain paper.

Conventional Dye-Based Ink

Conventional dye-based ink particles

are absorbed into the ﬁbers of plain

paper and are soluble in water.

DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink particles

“rest” on the surface of plain paper and

are insoluble in water.

Competitor’s Pigment Black and Dye Color Ink

Only black is water-resistant

DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink

Superb waterfastness for black and color

Epson Print

The quick drying DURABrite

Ultra ink resisted smudging

under identical testing.

Competitor’s Dye-Based Print

The smudge across the boy’s

face was caused by swiping the

print one minute after printing.

Fade testing using accelerated

exposure to high levels of UV

light. Actual results may differ.

Competitor’s Dye-Based Print

Covered side Exposed side

Epson DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink Technical Brief Page 3

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Outstanding Photos on Glossy Papers

Many consumers are looking for a printer that can produce great everyday text documents and photos. With the

new DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, customers get high quality glossy photos without compromising the text and

graphic printing quality on plain paper that DURABrite Ink has been known for. DURABrite Ultra pigment ink

offers these new advantages when printing photos on glossy papers:

1. Better glossiness: DURABrite Ultra pigment ink produces excellent output on Epson glossy photo papers:

• Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy—This “best of

breed” glossy photo paper has a heavier, professional

weight with a smooth, high-gloss ﬁnish.

• Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster—This paper with

Luster E surface ﬁnish produces vivid, lifelike images

that rival those of traditional silver halide prints, with

high saturation and high D-Max for true photographic

reproductions. It is compatible with the DURABrite

Ultra pigment ink when using the Premium Photo

Paper/Semigloss driver setting.

• Premium Photo Paper Glossy— This high-gloss paper

makes prints look and feel like a traditional photograph.

• Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss—This media has the

look and feel of true photographic paper, and is ideal for

printing displays or scenic color images. The semigloss

ﬁnish delivers beautiful results.

• Photo Paper Glossy—This glossy photo paper delivers a

smooth, glossy ﬁnish for everyday photos.

2. Reduced gloss differential: Gloss differential occurs when

the gloss of the paper is different from the gloss of the ink.

By using a new resin formulation, gloss differential with

the DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is reduced and the color

gamut is improved.

3. Reduced metamerism: Metamerism is an effect where

colors appear to be different under dissimilar lighting

conditions (such as natural light and ﬂuorescent light).

With the new ink formulation, metamerism is reduced.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has the ﬂexibility to produce

high quality glossy photos as well as superb photos on matte

papers—without the need, hassle, or expense of swapping

ink cartridges. Epson printers and All-in-One printers with

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink support BorderFree

printing, so

customers can print borderless, frame-ready photos right out of

the printer, without trimming or perforations.

The ink set is compatible with the following Epson papers:

Excellent gloss

level

Reduced

metamerism

More vibrant

colors

More glossy

paper choices

DURABrite Ultra Glossy Paper Beneﬁts:

Plain and Matte Surface Papers Glossy Surface Papers Specialty Papers

• Ultra Premium Presentation Paper

Matte

• Premium Presentation Paper Matte

• Premium Presentation Paper

Double-Sided Matte

• Presentation Paper Matte

• Bright White Paper

• Other plain paper

• Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy

• Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster

• Premium Photo Paper Glossy

• Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss

• Photo Paper Glossy

• Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer Paper

• Transparency Film

• Photo Quality Self-Adhesive Sheets

• Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

• PremierArt™ Matte Scrapbook

Photo Paper for Epson

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is

compatible with many glossy photo

papers, plus still supports matte and

plain papers

Epson DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink Technical Brief Page 4

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Convenient and Flexible

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink was designed for the consumer and small ofﬁce/home ofﬁce (SOHO) customer.

This customer generally prints text documents, web pages, homework/reports, labels, and maybe craft projects,

yet also may own a digital camera and wants to print high quality photos.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers convenience to this customer by offering:

• Convenient individual ink cartridges*—With individual ink

cartridges, customers can take control of ink usage, replacing only

the ink that’s needed.

• Excellent output on plain papers—Because you don’t have to use

specialty papers to obtain the best print quality for text documents,

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers added convenience.

• New, innovative technology (available for Windows users on the

C120/CX7400/CX8400/CX9400Fax models) extends black ink

printing—If a customer is running low on black ink, he now has the

option to continue printing black text using the color inks—a life-

saver when stores are closed!

• New, easier to identify packaging—All models (except for the C88+)

feature inks with new packaging making it easier for customers to

purchase replacement inks—all a customer needs to remember is

the two-digit ink number.

• New ink conﬁgurations—New 88 series cartridges are designed for moderate use and feature an

affordable cartridge price (for the CX4400/CX7400). The 69 series cartridges are ideal for most users

(C120-Color Only/CX7400/CX8400/CX9400Fax). The 68 ink is only available in a dual-pack black and is

designed for heavy document printing. Each 68 black cartridge gives customers about 50% more prints

than a standard 69 cartridge (C120/CX8400/CX9400Fax only).

See the Ink Jet Printer Reference Material for more information on ink cartridge compatibility.

Advantages of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink—Positioning vs. Other Epson Ink Sets

Epson continually innovates ink

solutions tailored to the needs of

speciﬁc users instead of offering a

one-size-ﬁts-all ink solution. Whether

the customer is most interested in the

everyday printing of documents and

the occasional photo, is an amateur

photographer looking to primarily

print photos with stellar image quality

and durability, or is a professional

photographer staking his reputation

on breathtaking large format prints,

Epson has the right ink for the job.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is a

breakthrough ink that delivers all-

purpose versatility, great for everyday

text documents, brochures, menus,

hand outs, and photos. The graphic at

right shows how DURABrite Ultra ﬁts

in with the other Epson ink solutions.

For complete details on how DURABrite Ultra pigment ink compares to other Epson ink technologies, refer to the Epson

Ink Solutions document.

General Purpose

Chief Memory Ofﬁcer

Photo Enthusiast

Advanced

Amateur

Pro

Fine

Art

Increasing Brand Strength

Epson DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink Technical Brief Page 5

Comparison of DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink and Conventional Dye-Based Ink

DURABrite Ultra is the only consumer-class 4-color ink set that uses all pigment-based ink; some competitive

printers use pigment-based black with dye-based color, and others use all dye-based ink. The key advantage of

Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is its ability to produce the highest quality text and photos, offering color

qualities similar to dye-based ink with the durability qualities of pigment ink. The key differences between

conventional dye ink and DURABrite Ultra pigment ink are:

Key Differences Conventional Dye Ink DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink

Characteristics

Formed from color-forming, water-

soluble molecules

Comprised of insoluble pigment particles

Color Gamut

Best Best on plain and matte papers; Excellent

on glossy photo papers

Coloring is high because ink dyes the ﬁber

of the paper. Light reﬂects evenly off the

surface.

Ink remains near the paper’s surface and

the new resin formulation reduces gloss

differential while improving the color

gamut on glossy papers.

Fade-resistance

Fair to Good

The dye inks are dependent on special

paper to resist fading.

Excellent

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink has fade

resistance beyond photo lab prints—up to

105 years (see page 2)

Water-Resistance

Good

Inks are water-resistant on many glossy

photo papers but not on matte papers.

Excellent

Inks are water-resistant on all supported

media, including plain paper.

Plain Paper Printing

Good

Feathering occurs as ink is absorbed into

the plain paper ﬁbers.

Excellent

Sharp, clear text and graphics without

bleeding.

Media Selection

Best

Wide media compatibility: Plain, Matte,

RC (Resin Coated) Photo and High Gloss

papers, and specialty media (including

self-adhesive paper and iron-on transfers)

Excellent

Wide media selection: Plain, matte, RC

(Resin Coated) Photo papers and specialty

media (including self-adhesive paper and

iron-on transfers)

Epson DURABrite Ultra Pigment Ink Technical Brief Page 6

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink provides the best combination of features to the consumer/SOHO customer:

• Versatility and ﬂexibility (with the ability to print exceptional text documents and photos without the

need, hassle, or expense of swapping ink cartridges)

• Image quality on plain and photo paper

• Image durability (smudge, fade, and water-resistance)

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink offers:

• Brilliant output on plain paper and glossy photo papers

• Excellent output for everyday text documents, especially on plain paper

• Smudge-, fade-, and water-resistance, even on plain paper

• Convenient individual ink cartridges

Epson, Epson Stylus, Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss, and PictureMate are registered trademarks and Epson Exceed Your Vision, Claria, and Epson

UltraChrome K3 are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. DURABrite, BorderFree, and Chief Memory Ofﬁcer are registered trademarks of

Epson America, Inc. Other product names used herein are for identiﬁcation purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Epson disclaims any and all rights in those marks. Speciﬁcations subject to change.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is the ideal

solution for printing reports, web pages,

greeting cards, presentations, report covers,

resumes, menus and photos on glossy papers.

Summary

Visit www.DURABrite.com for the latest information on DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, testimonials, and more.

DURABrite Ultra pigment ink is currently featured on the following Epson stand-alone printers and All-in-One

printers:

CX9400Fax All-in-One

C88+ Printer

CX7400 All-in-One CX8400 All-in-One

C120 Printer

CX4400 All-in-One

Epson C88 Technical Brief

Brand: Epson

Model: C88

Category: Ink cartridges

Type: Technical Brief

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Epson C88 Technical Brief

Epson C88 Technical Brief

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